Cable tensioning and retracting device for bomb supports



June 5, 1951 F. N. DICKERMAN CABLE TENSIONING AND RETRACTING DEVICE FOR BOMB SUPPORTS 5 SheetsSheet 1 Filed may 1, 1945 silicate/1 F. N. DICKERMAN CABLE TENSIONING AND RETRACTING DEVICE FOR BOMB SUPPORTS June 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1, 1945 IIIIIIIIII.

VIII/III 5% MMALU June 5, 1951 F. N. DICKERMAN 2,555,635

' CABLE TENSIONING AND RETRACTING DEVICE FOR BOMB SUPPORTS Filed May 1, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 SAM man;

Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2555,6215 GABLETENSIGNING AN-D' RETRAGTING DEVICE FOR-BOMBSU-PPGRTS Fred ,N. oiekemiai 'Bridgiiijft, to United 'Aifi'aft Corporation, East Haiftfoid;

cum, a corporation of Delaware Application May -1, 1945, seriaiiso. 59L243 3 claims. (01. 89- 125) 1 This invention relates to tensioning devicesand more particularly to a new and improved cable tensioning and retracting device for use in connection with bomb slings on aircraft 7 I In supporting and releasing bombs, torpedoes, auxiliary tanks and the like on aircraft, it has been customary to retain the object to be secured by means of one "or more supportingcables in the form of slings, one end being fixed to the aircrait and theother end being secured by a releasable catch so that at the desired instant the aircraft operator may release the catch, and the cable endis free to fall 'or sling out of the Way as the article drops. 7 j

This prior construction is subject to several objections inasmuch as a number of cables of the required length must be employed witheach size of object to be retained inplace. In addition, as the bomb drops, the free end of the cable violently swings in an arc and, with the heavy release fitting on its end, may cause damage to the adjacent aircraft structure. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means for automatically varying, cable lengths as desired when the cable is used to hold objects of varying sizes and to provide means for;retracting the cable as the object drops so that its free 'end will be restrained from striking and damaging the adjacent aircraft structure.

An additional difificulty presented by the con structions heretofore employed is that the long cables; used as bomb slings wouldhang below the planes fuselage and would prevent proper closing of the bomb baydoors; It is an object of the present invention to'provide a cable retracting device which will immediately withdraw the cables as they are released sothat they will be safely inside of the bombbay and will be outof the Way of the falling bombs and th closing bomb bay doors.

In addition, it is important that the bomb or other object be securely retained in place and restrained against movement during flight, therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved means for engaging and retaining immobile an object so supported, which means is adaptable to objects of varying diameters A further object of the present invention isprovide means for drawing cables snugly about the object to be supported and to provide, in combination, a compact cable retracting structare which will quickly andpositively withdraw the 106mb retaining cable.

Further objects and advantages of the presslimmer-the pr m; invention will be apparent from the specifloatidii and claims" wl'intofisidered iii conjunctionviith the accompanying air-swings in whiclii Fig. 1 is a trafis ris sec can "th'ro'ii the lower portion of an aircraft fulag shipw g bor'nbs supported in accordance with the present invention; H i I Fig, 2 is anenlarged detailed view of a cane retracting reel constructed iii accordance with the pres'ntinviitidfi; A o v M i v Fig. 3 s a vertical c ass-season 'fihf uehjtli reel of Fig. taken time ajiinq Slifisfailfiafi i wasta e e an. 2: v v Eig lisa soil; m1 sandman/1 mater als reel-of Fig. 2'lodl1ng upwardly taken along a lin substantially corresponding to line 1334B of 5 is an enlarg "d detailed side elevation of an adjustable load bracing cl'lock' constructed in ac ors-a ree withgtheiprsfitiiiveiitidn j nd" I Fig. 6 is a sectional view of chock shown in Fig. 5 taken algpg a li ne substaiitia1ly correlieferrl l,the efnbodimentther shown iiem sf na er i i el' e eviii a siieb e cross member l 09 from which may depend hinged plates ll upon whicl -jniss'ile-eng-aging (Shocks [2 ma b fi qr -Th rh sksmer a u ab e l wag s f no h sh ma n a mann r .hfi m i rs i gi th sea 9 a comm a ei fl s of riqus -ie e s- A cyl d i al m 'sila ll h s a WmbE iJE' I .r n d'. n e s s e hec w i na ra lei rmed ym fis 6 a r utra rei rails a ses exten n cables [4, one end of each of which may be fixedly secured to the aircraft structure through the medium of a cable retracting -reel comprising a ti n the s eiier e ione. q p ite end of of the c ables 14 may be provided with a' release engaging link I 6 which may beengaged and normallyheld by means or a; bomb release c'altch H of some '"aar design and not forming i entifiveritiofi. l

The aircraft fusel ge ru' be provided in its lower part with f0 V y I can be retrace 5; suitable means (rir'it shown) to" theddtted 1 fie position m i at flm Fig. i so a new ypass'frely through the bottor'nof the fuselage at the desired time u on its' releas'e v The cable retracting reel 15 is" illustrated detail in Figs: 2, 3' and 4anda's"there' "showncomprisesa pair of spaced cheek :pl'aite's I 9 and 213 secured together at'the top by suitable means including a through bolt 21 and at the bottom by 3 means of the oppositely extending trunnion portions 22 and 23 of a swivelly pivoted fitting nut 24.

A central axle 25 passes through these cheek plates and mounts a cable accommodating drum having side plates 26 and 21 which are spaced apart by a central portion 28 in the manner shown.

The axle 25 is retained immobile by any suitable means, as for example, a lock plate 29 which has a central hexagonal opening which is adapted to surround a hexagonal head 2541 on the axle bolt 25. To the center portion of the axle may be secured by any suitable means, as for example, the screw 30, a coiled spring 3|, the outer end of which is secured to an anchor screw 32 forming a part of the rotatable drum. Obviously, with this arrangement rotation of the drum in a clockwise manner in Fig. 1 is resisted by the resilient spring 3| which tends to return the drum to its original position at all times.

A number of cable retracting reels l may be employed, one for each transverse cable or sling used to retain a missile in place and these cables may be secured at one end to the drum as in the manner shown in Fig. 3 wherein an enlarged anchor block 33 is positioned in a slot 34 in the portion 28 of the drum.

In order to apply sufilcient torque to the cable supporting reel so as to urge the missile snugly into place and draw the cables l4 taut, the marginal edges of the side plates 26 and 2'! may be scalloped as indicated to provide a plurality of adjacent serrations or ratchet teeth with which a tension applying member may be associated. This tension applying member in the present invention comprises the swivelly mounted fitting 24 having oppositely extending trunnions 22 and 23 which fitting has an internally threaded sleeve portion 35 of a nut 36 extending therethrough. This device is retained in place by means of a split ring washer 31.

Into the nut 36 may be threaded a tension applying post 38 having oppositely extending ratchet engaging lugs 39 which may selectively engage various of the ratchet teeth 40 spaced about the periphery of the side plates 26 and 21.

If desired, a suitable bumper may be provided in the form of a ball on the end of cable [4 and may be of rubber or suitable resilient material whereby upon rapid retraction of the cable it will strike the edges of the cheek plates l9 and 20 thereby snubbing the cable end to stop rotation of the device and prevent possible injury to the free end of the cable and adjacent parts of the plane.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the depending plates ll may be provided with a plurality of marginal notches 42 into which an adjustable chock [2 may be inserted as required by the size of the missile to be retained in place.

Fig. 6 shows in detail the construction of the chock in accordance with the present invention wherein it includes a stem portion 43 having an enlarged missile engaging pad 44 at one end and an attached clip including a reversely formed detent 45 which is normally retained by means of a spring 46 so that its outer end 41 enters into and locks with one of the spaced openings 48 in opposition to the selected notch 42 by means of which the chock is to be supported.

The above described chock is here illustrated as employed in an arrangement for supporting aircraft bombs in place. However, it will be apparent that it is capable of further and addi- 4 tional uses within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In operation the hinged cross plates H are moved into position and chocks l 2 adjusted therealong to the size of the bomb or other object to be supported in place. The bomb may then be hoisted in the usual manner as by means of hoist bands and when so supported in place, the free end of the cable I4 may be reeled out and the link I6 engaged with the customary release device ll of the plane. Because of the spring tension provided by the coiled spring 3 I, the cable I4 is drawn snugly about the bomb which is already in place against the chocks l2.

Thereafter, it is desired to apply a positive tension to the cables l4 so that the bomb may be held securely in lace and this enclosed tension is provided by means of the tensioning device including a screw post .38 having oppositely extending ratchet engaging lugs 39 which may engage in suitable serrations 40 in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Tension may thereafter be applied through rotation of nut 36 by means of the wing portions shown or by a wrench applied to engage this nut. Obviously, rotation of the nut draws the screw threaded screw post 38 through the nut and rotates the cable supporting drum to the left to apply the desired tension upon cable l4.

Thereafter, the hoist bands used to install the missile may be removed, and the cabl is ready for release at the desired time at the will of the operator after the objective has been reached. It will be noted that by the above arrangement, the effective length of the cable has been adjusted automatically for the particular bomb installation.

Upon release of the bomb, the spring 3| rotates the drum counterclockwise, retracting the bomb supporting cables l4 inside of the bomb bay and out of the way of the falling bomb and the closing bom-b bay doors.

Of course, suitable guards or shields may be added to the device to enclose the ratchet teeth and prevent damage to the teeth or servicing personnel,

It will be apparent that with the structure above disclosed, a simple compact and eflicient cable retracting device for aircraft supported bombs is provided. However, it will be obvious that this device is adapted with equal facility to the retaining of any movable objects in place and may be employed as a cargo sling o other support and has man other uses as will readily become apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for supporting articles in a vehicle including a cable, adjustable chocks, plate supports for said chocks attached thereto, hinge means pivoted horizontally to connect the upper edges of said supports to the vehicle to permit swinging said supports upwardly into horizontal position against the vehicle structure, and adjustable means securing one end of said cable to said vehicle.

2. A retractable device for supporting bombs within the bomb bay of an aircraft including a cable, means attached to one end of the cable for winding in the cable, a support for the cable winding means attached thereto, and horizontally pivoted hinge elements securing the support to aircraft structure defining the top of the bomb ba whereby the cable and winding means may be swung upwardly from the space constituting the bomb bay.

3. Mechanism for suspending articles from the framework of a carriage, comprising a cable designed for connection at one end to the framework and connected at its other end to a tensioning drum, means supporting said drum on said framework at such a point that the cable forms a. tensioned sling for the article to be supported; and adjustable chock means secured to said framework adjacent the cable ends, comprising a downwardly extending plate-like arrangement having a series of slots extending inwardly from its lower edge in a direction away from the article to be suspended and also having a corresponding series of holes disposed inwardly from said slots, and. means selectively cooperable with 15 each slot and its associated hole and extending outwardly from the stop to provide a chock element.

FRED N. DICKERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,528,942 Moser Mar. 10, 1925 1,941,880 Earl Jan. 2, 1934 2,010,511 Crawford Aug. 6, 1935 2,342,271 Hatcher Feb. 22, 1944 2,342,514 Hojnowski Feb. 22, 1944 2,362,361 Davis Nov. 7, 1944 2,392,400 Nefi Jan. 8, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 495,329 Great Britain Nov. 10, 1938 

